Authorities have arrested a 26-year-old Covelo man who allegedly attacked his father with a knife during an argument late Thursday night, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies were summoned at 10:55 p.m. Feb. 28 to a disturbance at a home in the 20000 block of Henderson Lane in Covelo. They arrived and learned that Steven Luna Sr., 58, and Steven Luna Jr., 26, had argued and then physically fought, according to the MCSO.

During the argument, Luna Jr. allegedly threatened to hurt his father and tried to punch him. Luna Sr. grabbed his son and threw him to the ground, according to the MCSO, holding him there until he calmed down. When the elder Luna released his son, Luna Jr. got a knife from the kitchen and slashed his father's face, according to the MCSO.

The father didn't seek immediate medical treatment for his injury, according to the MCSO. He reportedly took the knife from his son and called the Sheriff's Office for help.

Deputies arrested Luna Jr. on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and booked him at the Mendocino County Jail under $30,000 bail.

Fort Bragg man arrested in sister's beating

Officers were summoned at 11:43 a.m. March 1 to a home in the 100 block of East Oak Street for a report of domestic violence in progress, and the caller told dispatchers that the woman had been stabbed several times in her face.

Officers arrived and determined that the woman hadn't been stabbed, but had instead been physically assaulted by her brother, Timothy McNeill, during an argument between the two, according to the FBPD.

McNeill was reportedly hiding inside the apartment building, but was believed to have fled after a complete search of the building, according to the FBPD. Officers searched the area, and the woman was taken by ambulance to Mendocino Coast District Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Officers found McNeill in front of the CVS Pharmacy on South Main Street minutes later. He was arrested on suspicion of battery with injury and booked at the Mendocino County Jail.

Bicycle crash leads to warrant arrest

Police responding to a bicycle crash Wednesday night arrested a 47-year-old Fort Bragg man on a felony charge of cultivating marijuana, on a local warrant, according to the Fort Bragg Police Department.

Officers responded at 6:55 p.m. Feb. 27 to a report of a hit-and-run collision between a bicycle and a gray pickup truck in the 200 block of South Main Street. They learned when they arrived that there was no hit-and-run incident, and that two bicyclists had collided along the street's western shoulder.

Both bike riders had minor injuries and declined medical attention, according to the FBPD. One of the riders, Nathan J. Grimes, had an outstanding felony warrant stemming from an FBPD case in August where Grimes was charged with allegedly cultivating marijuana inside an apartment he lived in at 300 N. Harrison St., the FBPD reported.

Grimes was arrested on suspicion of the warrant charge, and after he was medically cleared, he was booked at the Mendocino County Jail.

Washington man arrested in Fort Bragg fire, gun theft

A Washington man arrested Feb. 22 in a Mendocino burglary was also charged in connection with three home burglaries involving gun theft and an arson case in Fort Bragg earlier the same month, according to the Fort Bragg Police Department.

The department sent evidence that included personal items left behind at two of the burglaries and video footage captured at one of the sites to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office for review, and got word from the office Thursday that nine felonies related to the Fort Bragg cases were added to the list of charges against Alec John Faccone, 20, of Washington State.

The investigation that led to the charges began Feb. 3, when the Fort Bragg Fire Department responded to 130 Noyo Heights Drive for a structure fire and called police because the fire's cause was suspicious, according to the FBPD.

The FBPD, fire department and a CalFire investigator determined someone placed material from inside the home at the bottom of the stairs and lit it on fire, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of fire and smoke damage, according to the FBPD. No suspects were identified.

On Feb. 6, officers responded to 123 Wall St. for a reported home burglary and learned that someone had forced entry and took only guns, described as a Savage lever action .243 caliber rifle, a Smith and Wesson .32 caliber revolver and a Charter Arms .32 caliber revolver, along with their ammunition.

The weapons were reportedly removed from their cases, which were left behind, as well as cash that was left sitting on a nightstand.

"No real evidence was located on scene to help determine who the responsible party might be," the FBPD stated in a Friday press release about the case.

On Feb. 19, officers responded to a call from a local real estate agency reporting that one of the company's rental units appeared to have been broken into, and that several personal items had been left inside, according to the FBPD.

The department's officers Awad and Kendl investigated, and Kendl noticed that some of the personal items were the same items found at the Noyo Heights arson site, according to the FBPD. Also inside the rental were receipts from local purchases, and one of them had the last name "Faccone" on it, giving the department its first lead in the arson case. Police also obtained video footage of a possible suspect.

The department got a call Feb. 22 from Sgt. J.D. Comer of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office reporting that the agency had Faccone in custody on suspicion of a burglary in the village of Mendocino, and that deputies had possibly found with him some weapons stolen at one of the Fort Bragg burglaries.

Officer Kendl and Sgt. Lee of the FBPD worked with MCSO deputies and identified some of the weapons from the Wall Street burglary. Kendl also identified a World War II military weapon, a long rifle, that had been stolen from the Noyo Heights home, according to the FBPD.

Police compiled the evidence and reviewed the video footage and concluded that Faccone, who the MCSO had arrested, was the man on the video from the rental unit. The departments submitted the cases and requested charges on Faccone, and the DA's office added nine felony charges against him Feb. 28.

The FBPD thanked the participating agencies and officers in the investigation.

"I truly believe that if it had not been for the great investigation, the communication between departments and teamwork, these cases would not have been solved," says the Friday FBPD statement, released by Fort Bragg Chief of Police Scott Mayberry.

Suspects sought in Ukiah robbery

Authorities are looking for two men they believe broke into a Ukiah home two weeks ago wearing masks, made a cryptic demand at gunpoint and beat the homeowner with a flashlight before running when police were called, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies were summoned to a Windsong Way home on the Greenfield Ranch in Ukiah at 9 p.m. Feb. 16 for a report of an attempted robbery.

They arrived and learned that two people, described as Caucasian men between 5 feet, 7 inches and 5 feet, 9 inches tall with stocky builds had entered the home without warning, according to the MCSO. Both men wore bullet-proof vests, camouflage clothing and ski masks, and one of the men had a pistol while the other had a large D-cell flashlight.

The 63-year-old homeowner confronted the men, who ordered him to the ground. The homeowner refused and instead asked them what they wanted.

One of the men said, "You know what we want," according to the MCSO. One of the men allegedly hit the homeowner's head several times with the flashlight, causing multiple injuries.

The homeowner's 64-year-old wife, who had been in another part of the house when the men came in, saw her husband being beaten and called the Sheriff's Office. The two men ran from the home on foot.

The injured man was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Deputies processed the crime scene and sheriff's detectives continue to investigate the incident. Authorities determined the men were likely looking for processed marijuana or large sums of cash at the home, according to the MCSO.

Anyone with information about the incident or about the identities of the suspects is urged to call the MCSO tip line at 234-2100.

Three men suspected in Laytonville marijuana grow

Authorities arrested one man three weeks ago and are seeking charges against two more for allegedly growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants at two Laytonville sites where nearly 2,000 plants were seized last summer, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

MCSO deputies with the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team were following up an earlier cultivation investigation in Laytonville Feb. 12, and went to a property in the 62000 block of Bell Springs Road, where they spoke with David Jeffreys, 45, of Laytonville.

Believing marijuana was being grown there, deputies got a search warrant and found 503 marijuana plants in an outbuilding, according to the MCSO. Authorities determined the property was the same one that was searched July 24, where 651 marijuana plants were found growing inside and outside, according to the MCSO. The property was reportedly owned by Jason Smith, 42, of Laytonville.

Deputies then went to a property in the 48000 block of North Highway 101 and spoke with Richard Ezell, 40, of Laytonville. They saw marijuana growing in an outbuilding and got a search warrant, finding 925 plants in several outbuildings on the property, along with about 50 pounds of hanging, partially processed marijuana, according to the MCSO.

Authorities determined the second location had also been searched July 24, when 1,315 marijuana plants were found growing inside and outside, along with a stolen firearm in a safe containing paperwork in Ezell's name, according to the MCSO.

Ezell was arrested on suspicion of cultivating and possessing marijuana for sale, and receiving stolen property. He was booked at the Mendocino County Jail and released after posting bail.

The MCSO is seeking charges through the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office against Smith and Jeffreys.

Three Ukiah men suspected in Boonville Road marijuana bust

One man was arrested three weeks ago and authorities are seeking charges against two more for allegedly growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants and making honey oil using the butane-extraction method, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies with the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team, with help from the Mendocino County Probation Office, conducted a probation search at a home in the 1400 block of Boonville Road in Ukiah at 3 p.m. Feb. 14, and spoke to Brian Stephens, 54, of Ukiah.

Authorities seized 1,003 indoor marijuana plants, 3.2 pounds of concentrated cannabis, 16 firearms and items used to make a controlled substance (honey oil via the butane-extraction method), according to the MCSO.

Stephens was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing a controlled substance, cultivating and possessing marijuana for sale, maintaining a place to grow marijuana and being armed in the commission of a felony. He was booked at the Mendocino County Jail and released after posting $75,000 bail, according to the MCSO.

Charges are being sought through the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office against property owner David Gattoni, 33, of Ukiah, and William Miller, 64, who also lived at the Ukiah home.

Two men arrested in Christopher Court marijuana bust

Authorities last month arrested a Ukiah man and an Upper Lake man for their alleged involvement in a marijuana growing and sales operation in Ukiah, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies with the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team, with the help of the MCSO detective unit, served a search warrant at a home in the 1400 block of Christopher Court in Ukiah at 9 a.m. Feb. 20.

Before the warrant was served, investigators stopped a vehicle driven by Jon MacDonald, 33, of Upper Lake, as it was leaving the home, according to the MCSO. Inside were seven pounds of processed marijuana, packaged in separate, one-pound bags.

Authorities searched the home and found about 31 pounds of marijuana packaged for sale, 46 marijuana plants growing indoors, $46,000 in cash and money orders, an electronic money-counting machine, scales, packaging material and a shotgun, according to the MCSO.

Richard Gandola, 67, of Ukiah, arrived at the home during the search, and authorities determined he lived there, according to the MCSO.

MacDonald was arrested on suspicion of possessing and transporting marijuana for sale, booked at the Mendocino County Jail and released after posting $30,000 bail.

Gandola was arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sale, booked at the county jail and released after posting $25,000 bail.

The MCSO is seeking additional charges against Gandola of cultivating marijuana, maintaining a place to grow marijuana, possessing more than $25,000 in drug proceeds and being armed in the commission of a felony.

Willits man faces Nebraska drug charges after traffic stop

The Willits News

A traffic stop landed a Willits man behind bars in a Nebraska jail facing marijuana and other drug-related charges.

A Nebraska state trooper pulled over a pickup truck driven by Shane Barrett, 41, of Willits, for allegedly following too closely on Interstate 80 near Lincoln, Neb., at 2:30 a.m. Feb. 15.

A check of Barrett's driver's license turned up an outstanding Sonoma County warrant for drug possession. Nebraska troopers took Barrett into custody on the out-of-state warrant.

Troopers then found an unmarked bottle of hydrocodone pills in the cab of the pickup, as well as 40 packages or marijuana, weighing a total of 88 pounds, stuffed into two toolboxes in the pickup truck bed.

Barrett was arrested on Nebraska drug possession charges in addition to the Sonoma County warrant. He was taken to Lancaster County Jail to await arraignment.